1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to eyeglass frames.
2. Introduction to the Invention
U.S. Pat. No. 6,164,775 discloses and claims an eyeglass lens attachment arrangement comprising an eyeglass frame and a pair of lenses, each of the lenses including at least one shaped engaging portion, the shaped engaging portion cooperating with an attachment member which attaches a respective one of the lenses to the eyeglass frame such that the lenses are removably attached to the frame.
International Publication WO 2007/044221 and U.S. Pat. No. 8,322,849 disclose that, in an eyeglass assembly, an engaging portion on an eyeglass lens can be maintained in contact with an eyeglass frame member by means of a removable bonding member (RBM) which                (a) contacts the engaging portion and the frame member; and        (b) under typical conditions of use of the assembly, maintains the engaging portion and the frame member in direct or indirect contact with each other; and        (c) under selected atypical ambient conditions, undergoes a change which separates the engaging portion and the frame member, or permits the engaging portion and the frame member to be separated from each other by pulling them apart manually.The removable bonding member is preferably a removable bonding adhesive (RBA).        
International Publication WO 2010/039176 and U.S. application Ser. No. 12/998,271 disclose that when contacting surfaces of (i) an engaging portion on an eyeglass lens and (ii) an eyeglass frame member are to be maintained in contact, improved results can be obtained by (A) providing (i) a passage which passes away from the contacting surface of the frame member, preferably to an exterior surface of the frame member, and/or (ii) a passage which passes away from the contacting surface of the engaging portion, preferably to an exterior surface of the engaging portion, (B) coating at least part of the contacting surfaces of one or both of the engaging portion of the lens and the frame member with a composition which is relatively soft when the contacting surfaces of the lens and the frame member are brought into contact, (C) bringing the contacting surfaces into contact in such a way that the composition is forced into the passage, (D) treating the composition so that it hardens (the treatment being for example exposure to ultraviolet or other radiation, or simply leaving the composition to harden at ambient temperature and pressure), thus providing a physical lock which helps to secure the lens and the frame member together. WO 2010/039176 and U.S. application Ser. No. 12/998,271 also disclose that the union between the frame member and the engaging portion can be strengthened by inserting a metal or polymer rod or tube through a hole drilled through the frame member and into the engaging portion of the eyeglass lens.
International Patent Application No. PCT/US 2012/054524 and U.S. application Ser. No. 13/199,896 disclose a temple arm for an eyeglass frame, the temple arm comprising (1) a side member, (2) an auxiliary member, and (3) a return member which comprises an attachment portion for fitting to (preferably fitting around or into) an engaging portion on the periphery of a lens; the auxiliary member (i) being connected to the side member and to the front of the return member, and (ii) providing a front surface of the temple arm.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,895,438, 4,896,955, 6,523,952 and 6,843,561 disclose improved eyeglass frames, some of which make use of a member composed of a shape-memory alloy (often hereinafter abbreviated to SMA) and/or a lens including a shaped engaging portion.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,394,599 discloses eyeglasses which comprise a lens having an engaging portion extending from the periphery of an eyeglass lens, and a frame member having a recess which is open on at least one side, so that it can be engaged with engaging portions of different thicknesses.
The entire disclosure of each of the U.S. Patents, the international publications and the corresponding US national phase applications referred to above is incorporated herein by reference for all purposes.
Conventional eyeglasses include two lenses, a bridge member which is attached to each lens and which rests on the nose of the wearer, and two temple members each of which is secured to one of the lenses and which rest on the ears of the wearer. The terms “eyeglass frame member”, “frame member” and “frame” are used herein to include temple members, bridge members, and auxiliary members to which a temple member or a bridge member is, or can be, secured. Such members can for example be composed of a metallic and/or polymeric material.